Skateboarding is a wonderful sport that has become more popular with America's youth than little league baseball, Pop Warner football, and other traditional sporting activities. A skateboard includes the following fundamental components: a deck; four wheels; and two trucks that attach the wheels to the deck and which serve as turning mechanisms for the skateboard. The prior art is replete with decks having various shapes, sizes, and constructions (e.g., the industry standard 7-ply wood construction, composite constructions that utilize one or more fiberglass, carbon graphite, or other layers in addition to wood veneers, or the like). Excluding the truck mounting holes that are drilled through the deck, skateboard decks have traditionally been of solid construction.
The popularity of skateboarding has led to an increased competition in the historically low-margin skateboard deck manufacturing and distribution industry. Success in the skateboard deck manufacturing and distribution industry can be dependent upon effective trademark, branding, image-building, and marketing strategies. For example, skateboard equipment manufacturers may offer apparel, decals, and other brand-conscious items in addition to the actual equipment, which may otherwise be perceived as being fungible from brand to brand. In addition, skateboard equipment manufacturers may strive to introduce new product features (functional, aesthetic, or a combination thereof) to distinguish their products from those of their competitors. For example, a distinct deck shape, a unified theme of graphics for a series of decks, a truck with special painted graphics, or wheels having a unique shape or profile may increase market share.
Accordingly, there is a need for a skateboard deck having unique features that are eye-catching and marketable. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.